Woods improving, has major suitors

If you are looking for the next big thing from northeast Pennsylvania you need look no furthur than junior 6-foot-8 190 pound "Hakim Warrick clone" Kraidon Woods from Pocono Mountain East high school. Rivals.com caught up with him recently for a recruiting update.

As a third year starter Woods is having a productive season under coach Bron Holland averaging 15 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 blocks per game for the Cardinals.

He told us that the recruiting interest has intensified this winter with scholarship offers from Villanova, St. John's, Rutgers, and Saint Joseph's, as well as major interest from NC State, Penn State, Virginia Tech, Stanford, Maryland, South Florida, and Xavier.

Woods said that Villanova and St. John's are his early leaders.

Watching Woods play, the first thing that jumps out is his incredible length and mobility. He's a tweener right now in that his lack of physical strength makes it tough for him to compete on the low blocks, but he doesn't yet possess the full skillset to play on the wing. Woods should not be judged on what he is right now, but what he will become down the road. He's bumping up against 6-foot-9, and he may yet have some growing to do. He's also shown flashes of ball handling and shooting ability that, once honed, will make him a dangerous scorer in college.

Woods is a good student who should have no problems qualifying for freshman elligibility.

He will play with the Playaz AAU squad this spring and summer on the adidas circuit.